Oshiomhole Blasts NNPCL, Describes Company as ‘House of Thieves’ During Senate Probe

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, has sharply criticised the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), describing it as a “house of thieves” during a Senate Public Accounts Committee hearing.

 

The former Edo State governor made the remarks while reacting to comments by a former Chief Financial Officer of the company, Umar Aliya, during an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving trillions of naira.

 

According to Aliya, some public officials had sought employment opportunities in the NNPCL for their children.

 

The claim drew a strong reaction from Oshiomhole, who questioned the company’s reputation and suggested that those seeking jobs for their children within the organisation were motivated by perceived financial benefits.

 

“I heard you saying that people want their children to be employed in NNPC, that is because it is a house of thieves and they want their children to benefit from it,” Oshiomhole said during the hearing.

 

“NNPC has no reputation, your reputation is for fraud. How can you sit down here and say people want their children employed in NNPC? So you think we are joking here?” he added.

 

The exchange occurred during the committee’s investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds and financial management issues within the state-owned oil company.

 

Oshiomhole’s comments have since sparked widespread reactions on social media, with some users praising his outspokenness while others called for a thorough investigation into the allegations raised during the hearing.

 

Neither NNPCL nor its management had issued an official response to the senator’s remarks as of the time of filing this report.

 

The Senate Public Accounts Committee continues its scrutiny of the company’s financial records as part of efforts to strengthen accountability and transparency in the management of public resources.